Cheika urges Aussies to dream big

Michael Cheika sees no reason why Australia cannot win all five Tests on their demanding end-of-year tour to Europe.

The Wallabies face the prospect of five gruelling Tests in as many weeks, starting with a clash against Wales at the Principality Stadium on Saturday.

Following that meeting, Cheika's men take on Scotland, France, Ireland and England as they look for a productive end to a disappointing year.

A 3-0 home whitewash at the hands of England in June was followed by a second-placed finish in the Rugby Championship behind a dominant New Zealand side.

And Cheika says if his players are not aiming to win five out of five over the coming weeks, there is little sense in them turning up.

"I think that it's very important for players to have dreams of achieving the bigger picture items. I really do, I believe that's important," he said.

"If you don't have those dreams inside of you, then what are you doing it for? But the reality is that in a series like this, and a tour like this, it's only the next day that counts.

"That's in the background, but that will only come to fruition when we're excellent every day and our players are learning. The team will be changing its components, not its identity, over this year and the next – the identity will always stay the same.

"Those guys will learn how to live that identity and play that style of rugby and then, after 2018, we'll start consolidating ourselves into a group that we think is going to take the team forward from there.

"We're looking to win Test matches, too, and make our country proud when we play the game. It's a super-interesting balancing act of trying to do both, but we're quite enjoying that challenge."